Extra Alchemist
by eliatropesonmobius
Summary: A third Elric has suffered the effects of the human transmutation. It looks like three's not a crowd after all.
1. Chapter 1

_Another of my beloved stories! Please R &R!_

 _Disclaimer: Canon isn't mine!_

 _Chapter 1:_

"Come on, brothers!" I call over my shoulder to Al and Ed as they help Mama carry groceries. Al grins and boosts his gait slightly. Ed just scoffs and continues walking, though he also boosts his speed, though not as much as Al.

"Be careful, kids!" Mama calls after us, though she doesn't bother to hide her loving smile. We swerve to the left and play in a field while Mama goes to the house. Suddenly there's a crash from the house. My brothers and I pause in our playing to glance fearfully at the house. The groceries Ed and Al were carrying fall to the ground as they begin to dash madly to the house. Al looks back over his shoulder to me.

"Come on, Ashley!" He yells, and my previously frozen feet are pounding the grass and dirt as I am able to use my size to boost past my brothers to our house. I push the half-opened door out of my way and run to kneel next to my mother, who is lying on the ground, her eyes screwed shut in pain. I grab her shoulder and shake it, wondering what could've gone wrong in so short a time. Al and Ed push me aside, helping Mama up and into bed before Al dashes out the door to fetch a doctor and Ed sinks into Father's alchemy books with a desperation scary for a 5-year-old. I sit in Mama's chair and stare out the window, wondering what she was always watching for. I contemplate asking her, because somewhere deep inside, I know. _Mama won't survive._

Alphonse returns with the doctor and the Rockbells. When the doctor examines Mama, he voices my worst fear.

"She most likely won't make it-." He is interrupted when Ed dives to plug my ears. He angrily turns on the doctor as Al shoos me out of the room, but I can still hear Ed's yelling down the hall.

"You idiot! Who the heck says that to two little kids?! Geez, and I thought doctors were supposed to be smart!" Al and I finally walk far enough away to where we can no longer hear him. It's only now I notice my knees are shaking and I fall to the ground, putting my head in my hands and taking deep breaths in order to control my urge to cry. There's the feel of a hand on my back and I look up. Alphonse is kneeling next to me, smiling sadly, but putting on a mask that he and I both know I see straight through. He sighs and lets the smile fall, seeming too mature for the 4-year-old brother I know and love. He completely plunks down on the grass next to me, scrubbing a hand down his face.

"The doctor was lying. Mom will be just fine. She has to." Al mutters, more to himself than to me. I sigh as I realize I have to be strong now. Plastering on a fake grin, I throw an arm over his shoulder.

"Of course she'll be fine! We're the Elrics, we can beat anything!" At that moment, Ed comes outside as well and flops on the grass with a weary sigh.

"That's it. I'm done. I officially hate anything medicine-related." He tells us from his spot in the grass. I sigh while at the same time paling internally. It's always been my dream to be a medical alchemist.

"It's rude to judge a person from one little mistake, Edward." I say, doing my best to adopt the tone my mother always has when Ed gets too uppity. However, it doesn't work and Ed just scoffs without moving. Silence lapses for a few seconds before the eldest Elric once again speaks.

"You two do know it'll be okay, right?" Al and I both nod and chorus an affirmation whilst sending each other doubtful side-glances. Ed just sighs.

FMAFMAFMA

And then...The next thing I know Mama is telling Ed to make her a crown of flowers and her grip on us is loosening and her hand is falling...Falling...Fallen. The funeral wasn't much later. Or maybe it was because I was too numb to acknowledge the passing of time. The Rockbells stood with us after the funeral, but they soon left. Once again, the three children are on their own.

"Brother," Alphonse asks quietly, "How are we going to live without her?"

"We're not." Edward replies. "We'll bring her back."

FMAFMAFMA

"Now, remember, Ashley," Al says to me as we stand in our father's workshop, "When we start the actual transmutation, you have to leave."

"But, brother!" I protest, but he and Ed are already delving back into their books. With a huff, I leave the room. I wander the house, bored out of my skull, until the flash of light begins. What throws me off, however, is the screaming that soon accompanies it. Ignoring Al's orders, I dash into our father's workshop. Ed is screaming as Al is dragged away by dark, shadowy hands. Al fixes his eyes on me and shakes his head almost imperceptibly. I once again ignore that and slide next to my brother, taking the knife in his hand, pricking my finger, and slinging some blood onto the pile of elements in the middle of my brothers' circle. Then, I roll back my sleeves and slam my hands down on the circle's border. The dark lights surround me and I gulp quietly when several of the arms begin to dart at me. They wrap around me and burn like acid. My screaming doesn't last for long, though. I grow too tired and I fall sideways, my sight going dark as what appears to be a metal hand reaches towards me.

FMAFMAFMA

I wake in a warm bed and I moan happily before the pain comes rushing back. I roll to the edge of my bed and vomit. A metal hand rubs my back gently.

"It's okay, Ashley." My brother, Alphonse, soothes. I look up at the giant metal armor that just used my brother's voice between coughs and dry heaves.

"Al...? What is-? Where are-?" Why can't my mouth work? My mind's moving a million miles an hour but my mouth is barely moving one. If armor could grin sadly, it would've. Instead, Al tilts his head to the side as I begin to fall asleep.

"I suppose we have some things to talk about, huh?"

FMAFMAFMA

The next time I wake up, it's to the faces of Winry and Auntie Rockbell staring down at me, their faces blurry and half-covered in a medical mask.

"This is going to hurt." I can only nod dumbly, having no idea what exactly is going on. Then the whirring starts, followed closely by the pain. Oh God, the pain! Fire and ice and acid and pure pain all mixed into one mental cocktail and served to me through my left shoulder and part of my chest. I realize through the pain that they're cutting dangerously close to my heart and just above my stomach.

"How much longer?" A young male voice asks and I realize it's Ed. I turn my head and I see him standing there, staring. Al, still in his suit of armor, stands next to our oldest brother, but his back is to me and he is slowly banging his head against the wall. Doesn't that hurt? Then another wave of pain washes over me and my head wearily turns back to the operation the Rockbells are performing on my left leg. Silently, I agree with my brother as they hold up some metal and start talking engineering. How much longer?

FMAFMAFMA

Apparently, not very much longer, because they soon move me to a guest bed in the same room as Ed and Al. There's only one bed, however.

"Bro...Ther." Darn my uncooperative mouth! Both Ed and Al turn to look at me. I point at Ed's bed. "Only...One." My hand starts shaking so I let it fall back onto the bed. They glance at each other before comprehension dawns on their faces. Ed gets off his spot on the bed to stand next to me.

"Can you walk?" He asks me and I sit up and swing my feet over to the floor. I happen to glance down but I quickly glance away. One of my feet is now metal. Edward isn't wearing socks so ironically, I'm missing the arm and leg he has and vice versa.

When I go to stand, I start shaking and almost fall. Ed quickly wraps an arm around my waist and throws my right arm over his shoulder. What a sight we make, two golden-haired, yellow-eyed amputees struggling to cross the room to our brother in a suit of armor. We reach Al and Ed pulls off the helmet on Al's armor. I look in and gag on a scream. There's nothing inside but a flamel painted in what appears to be blood. My knees shaking violently, I fall on the ground.

"Where...Body...Al?" Al puts his helmet back on, walks over, and easily picks me up.

"Brother did a soul transmutation. Until we fix what went wrong, this armor is my body." Al tells me, putting me back in my bed. I nod so I can avoid talking. Once again, Ed has lapsed into silence. He says nothing until he suddenly looks up.

"I think we should go to Central." I look at him, confused.

"Cen...Tral?" I ask, struggling to sit up in curiosity. "Why, big...Brother?" He looks over at me.

"You're still not strong enough. I think just Al and I will go." Neither brother is expecting it when I roll out of bed and feebly pin Ed to the wall.

"Forget...Strength. All...Together, or not...At all." I slowly hiss at him, my words stumbling out drunkenly. He grins and pushes me off.

"Fine, Boss." Throwing me a mock salute, he throws our bags together. "All together it is."


	2. Chapter 2

_This is one of my favorite anime series, so I am ecstatic that I got the inspiration for a story! Please R &R, thanks!_

 _Disclaimer: Canon isn't mine._

Chapter 2:

Edward bounces his knee nervously the entire way to Central. I'm just glad it's not with the metal leg or he'd probably break through the floor of the car. Alphonse simply stares out the window as I practice my sign language. It didn't take us long to realize my speaking ailment was permanent so my brothers bought me some books on sign language. Right now, while Ed is looking away, I'm signing the word for "Short" and pointing to him. Al looks back at me, deciphers my signs, and gently cups a hands over the grille in his armor to keep from laughing. I let out a soft chuckle, however, and that catches Ed's attention. He looks at me with a scowl.

"What were you saying?" He asks, but the scowl flickers for a moment and I see through it. Ed is in a good mood. How rare. I repeat my sign even though I see Al frantically shaking his head in my peripheral vision. Well, Mama did always say I have guts.

"Who you calling so short you can't express it in words?" Ed boils, but not as much as he generally would. I laugh before pulling a deck of cards out of my bag. I sign the word for "game", before telling my brother not to cheat. He looks offended, but Al and I both see through it easily. Ed huffs and crosses his arms.

"Just start dealing." He mutters.

FMAFMAFMA

We get through several games, Edward attempting to cheat of course, before we pull into a layover station with a puff of smoke. As we walk to a hotel, I rap on Al's shoulder, wincing when it echoes hollowly. It fulfills my goal, however, and gains Al's attention. When he's looking at me, I sign "Never explained to me", and he sighs.

"While you were out of it, a man from Central came and expressed his surprise that all three of us had survived human transmutation...Albeit not whole. He thought maybe Brother had a shot at becoming a State Alchemist." He says ruefully as my metallic arm glints in the dying light. I nod understandingly. The sudden shouts draw our attention to Edward, who is trying to bargain with the clerk at the front desk of the hotel. Al sighs and slaps an extra 1000 Cenz onto the counter. As the clerk places it in the cash register and hands the room key to Ed, he and Al start bickering over money.

"Why did you do that, Al? I almost had her down to a reasonable price!" I sigh and lift my bag, glancing up at the stairs. Oh, why must they be so steep? I'm lucky my brothers haven't heard the rattling as my metal arm and leg shake from fatigue.

"We're all exhausted, brother." But it doesn't pass my attention when he discreetly points to me. Ed pauses long enough to hear the rattling as I combat the stairs. With a sigh, he comes up next to me and snatches my bag away.

"You should have mentioned you were tired. I would've taken your bag sooner." He snaps at me and I respond in kind.

"How could I with you two arguing like schoolgirls over which boy is the cutest? Besides, I am not helpless, no matter what you or anyone else may happen to think." I sign angrily and snatch my bag back before ascending the stairs two at a time. When I finally reach the room, I'm breathless and trembling like a leaf. Unfortunately, Ed has the leaf so I have no option but to wait for my brothers to appear. I try to curse under my breath, but it takes too long so I just resort to banging a fist against the wall. When I hear a crash, I look. Like the idiot I am, I used my metal fist to release my frustrations and punched a hole in the wall. I sigh and my flesh hand accidentally brushes back against the wall as I turn away. There's a flash of light behind me and I jump, startled. The hole in the wall was sealed, with no indication that it ever existed in the first place. I gulp and slide down the wall to the floor. My brothers find me like that, squinting at the wall in shock and half-asleep. Instead of getting me up on my own two legs, Al scoops me up and lays me on the couch where I promptly fall asleep.

FMAFMAFMA

"I don't like him." I mutter as Colonel Mustang leaves. Edward grunts in agreement, still worn out from yelling about how he's not short, but Mustang just smirked through the whole tirade.

"Didn't you once say we shouldn't judge a book by its cover, Ashley?" I grin sheepishly before becoming properly abashed.

"Yes, Alphonse." I get to my feet. "But the pages I snuck a glimpse of seem stained with tears." He and Ed look at me oddly. I sigh. "You didn't feel it, did you? He's had to be too strong for too long." At that moment, Colonel walks back in, coming to stand in front of me.

"You never told me your name."

"She can't speak." Edward interrupts, but I scowl, effectively shutting him up.

"A-Ashley Ellllric." I curse my disability at speaking as Mustang looks at me.

"And are you planning to become an alchemist with your brothers?" I nod the affirmative and he sighs. "Great, more paperwork for me." My brothers and I let our confusion show at that statement. "There's a different entrance exam for females hoping to become a State Alchemist. So far, none have passed. Do you still want to try?" I nod vigorously and he offers me his hand. When I take it, he pulls me to my feet and starts pushing me towards the door. "Say goodbye to your brothers. You won't be seeing them for awhile."


	3. Chapter 3

_This is shaping up to be my longest story yet, so I'm really excited for you guys to read it. Thanks to my followers for, well, following. I would love to have you guys review! And thanks for the kind words, those who have reviewed!_

 _Disclaimer: Canon isn't mine._

Chapter 3:

Colonel Mustang and the others prepping me for my test figure out rather quickly that I have issues speaking, so it shocks me when one day, I walk in to see Ed leaning against the wall. While he smiles and gives me a hug, something in his eyes tips me off. Something bad has happened. Mustang calls me for a meeting and Ed trails slowly behind me as I stand in front of Mustang's desk.

"Alright, Ashley. You've proven you're ready for your examinations, so we're here today to present your options to you. First, there's the written test, the practical test, or a duel. Most of the girls attempting to pass usually vote on the written, so that's just fine, but-" I hold up a hand and turn to Ed to make sure he's ready to translate. He gives me a quick nod as affirmation and starts watching my hands.

"I choose the duel. Do I get to pick who I duel?" Ed falters in his translation in shock. Mustang, however, looks unsurprised and just nods in answer to my question. I stand and crack my neck.

"The Strong-Arm Alchemist."

"Are you absolutely sure? He is very strong." Mustang is trying to deter me, I can tell. But I won't be deterred. If I'm going to be Amestris' first female Alchemist, I'm going to do it with style!

I clench my fist tightly and nod. Mustang sighs and rubs his face.

"Well then, looks like I have a duel to prepare."

"You aren't actually considering this, are you? She'll be pulverized!" Edward leaps in, thinking he's helping, but I'm desperately ignoring the little voice in my head that's jumping up and down, screaming to sock him one. Let's wait and use that frustration against Strong-Arm, shall we?

FMAFMAFMA

"You know I don't want to hurt you, little girl." Armstrong says, all sparkles and muscles, as Mr. Hughes reads off a list of rules to the crowd that's gathered to watch. I slap my hands together and gently touch one to my throat.

"Go right ahead." I tell him as Hughes dashes from the arena. "Nightmare Shadow!" An ominous black fog creeps up my arm, turning my appearance into one like a demon. Several people in the audience shriek and at least one faints. Armstrong pales and pulls a rock from his back pocket.

"What happened to her voice?" Someone asks Armstrong. While he's distracted, I thrust my hand out and the black fog rushes across the ground and up to Armstrong's face. He clutches at his throat as his worst images flicker before his eyes...Or so he thinks. Really, I can see his true worst fears and if he saw them, they'd break him. I'm just giving him the standard spiders, snakes, and supernatural crud that is in a horror book. I retract my hand and the black fog sucks back into me.

"Are you done?" I ask, and he nods in between gasping breaths. "Good. Now that that's over..." I run to him and help him to his feet, sighing as I feel how hard he's shaking. Guiding him to the edge of the arena, I catch several whispers and fearful glances at me. A flash of light, and my voice is once again back to its weak and useless state.

"You will get your certification. I'm sure of it." Armstrong tells me, having regained his bravado and courage.

"But...Never like...This." I force out. Dang. That's going to hurt tomorrow. My everything's going to hurt tomorrow.

"If you are to become a dog of the military, you must show no remorse." Mustang tells me, holding the door open as I limp out.

"Why are you limping?" Ms. Hawkeye asks, coming up. I bend down, and lift my pant leg. The metal is visible now and she gasps at the wires poking through.

"That's why." I curse. Clapping my hands together, I let the bright light fix my leg before rolling my pant leg back to its usual length. "There!" I grin and nearly everyone watching sweat-drops at my lightning-fast shift from demonic to a normal 9-year-old.

"Well, I think it's safe to say you passed, considering the fact that you took out one of our strongest men in a matter of seconds. Come by my office tomorrow and we'll get you your official name and pocket watch." With that, the military people leave, until only my brothers and I remain. I turn to them with another grin and hug them both.

"It's great to see you too." Al chuckles. Ed just grins. With the reunion out of the way, we decide to go get something to eat.

"So tell me," I sign as Ed devours his ramen with one eye on me, "What happened while I was training?" Al sweat-drops.

"What do you mean, Ashley?"

"Well, Ed's always carried the weight of the world on his back, but it looks like, recently, someone's added to that weight."

"That's right," Ed realizes, sitting back in his chair and wiping his mouth with his sleeve, "Since you're not officially part of the military, you wouldn't receive official reports, would you? Well, it's a long, and sad, story, but here goes."

FMAFMAFMA

"That jerk!" I leap to my feet and run my metal hand through my hair, clenching it hard. "The Sowing-Life Alchemist did that to his daughter? His own daughter! He's lucky he's dead or I'd have no issues showing him his deepest fears and making myself one of them!"

"On an unrelated note," Alphonse interjects once I calm down, "We're heading to Liore tomorrow. Do you want to come?"

"Are you kidding? I'd love to! Someone has to keep an eye on you, after all." I grin and we all laugh before going back to our food.


	4. Chapter 4

_I've recently started watching FMA:B, and while the timeline is a tangled mess, I like the general gist so that will probably follow my story closer. Thanks, please R &R!_

 _Disclaimer: Canon isn't mine._

Chapter 4:

"Your title is officially the Nightmare Alchemist." I grin evilly and snatch the pocket watch Colonel Mustang is holding out along with my certification on a piece of paper.

"That suits me just fine. Thank you, sir." Saluting, I turn to my brothers. "Well? Are we leaving or not?"

"Hold up, you three." Mustang calls just as we head for the door. Ugh, so close! "I actually have orders for you from the Fuhrer." Ed scowls, evidently thinking the same thing as me.

"Yeah? What are they?" He asks.

"You're to be under my command and help us catch an ex-Alchemist by the name of Isaac the Freezer." He's smirking about the fact that we have to work under him, albeit temporarily. Ed's upset about that, needless to say.

"Alright. Let's get to work." I clap my hands together.

FMAFMAFMA

One touch to my throat and, as long as my energy holds up, my voice is back to normal.

"That disturbs me to no end." Ed comments as he, Al, and I crouch on a rooftop.

"Well, unless you want me signing and performing alchemy at the same time, you're stuck with it." I snip, crossing my arms as I clench my metal fist.

"Brother, sister, look!" Al points to a disturbance in the distance, steam rising from an unknown source. "What do you suppose that is?"

"Excitement." I grin and throw myself off the roof.

FMAFMAFMA

The man crouches over the shattered remains of another person that has been frozen alive. I come out of the shadows and cross my arms.

"'Alchemist, be thou for the people.',". I rattle off from my memory. The man jolts in panic and whirls to face me. I point to the corpse. "You certainly weren't for that poor man, were you Mr. Isaac the Freezer?" He leers and rolls his sleeve back, letting the metal casing on his arm glint in the moonlight.

"He was a dog of the military. All strays must be put down." I tsk my tongue in mock disapproval.

"Well, then I guess that means you'll want to kill me as well. I'd like to see you try." He grins and runs one hand over the transmutation circle on the metal armor. The sound of crackling ice fills the air and I leap onto a protruding apartment balcony to avoid the bolt of frozen water dead-set on reaching me. "My turn!" I chirp before slapping my hands together and filling the air with the black hallucinogenic gas that enables me to know people's worst fears and use them against said person. At times like this it comes in handy, I smirk as Isaac shakes with fear. Unfortunately, the man's strong and shoots another bolt of ice at me before I can move. His aim is off from terror, so instead of impaling me, it simply slices into my side. But it's still painful!

As the guy takes off running/drunkenly stumbling, I rip off my overcoat and tie it around my wound. Until I can heal myself, that'll stem the blood loss. I turn to run after Isaac but Hawkeye stops me.

"Your brothers can handle it. You should get that looked at." She says, gesturing to my side where blood is leaking through the red coat. Dang, I really liked this coat.

"I'm fine." I retort, but my vision is kind of fuzzy.

"Obviously not. Come along." She grabs my arm again and drags me to where a medic is watching the fight between my brothers and Isaac. She taps him on the shoulder and he jumps and spins around, relaxing once he sees it's just us.

"Hello, Lieutenant Hawkeye. How can I help you? Were you hurt?" He asks and Hawkeye pushes me forward.

"I wasn't but she was."

"I don't need help!" I complain, blinking quickly to remain conscious.

"You're such a liar." The medic says as he guides me to a portable bench and sets me down. I scowl at him as he presses an ice-cold stephoscope to my chest. "So how are you?" The medic asks conversationally. "You know, other than some blood loss and possible trauma to your lungs."

"Just...Fine." I growl as he takes a sample of my blood by sweeping a towelette over my wound.

"What happened?" Ed asks, running up with Al close behind.

"Isaac happened." I respond, yawning halfway through.

"Alchemical exhaustion isn't fun, is it?" Al snips, crossing his arms in disapproval.

"I don't know what you're acting so disapproving for. Ed is injured just like me. So do the right thing and get him some medical attention, too." Ed plunks next to me.

"Hey! Unless you're wounded, shorty, you need to move." The medic scolds Ed as he begins to bandage my side. Ed leaps to his feet.

"Who are you calling so short he'd bleed out in an instant?!" Ed yells, getting into the medic's face.

"Get over yourself! I wouldn't be caught dead talking about you, let alone insulting you!" The medic yells back. They continue to yell back and forth for a few minutes until I get annoyed and throw my bloody coat at Ed, who yells and practically wrestles the thing as he tries to get it off.

"If you two are done bickering," I scold, getting to my feet, "My brother is wounded. I recommend you take care of that while I finish what I started." The medic glances at Ed's side before scurrying off to fetch some bandages as Ed sits on the bench with a sigh, too exhausted to do any more ranting. Al, however, is not so tired.

"Where are you going, Ashley?" He asks after checking over Ed one more time.

"Isaac escaped. I intend to fix that." Dark shadows cover my face as I stalk to the place where I detect another alchemist. Either way, this ends today.


	5. Chapter 5

_Writers' block isn't fun, guys! I apologize for the long wait on the previous chapter! *Rubs neck awkwardly.*_

Chapter Five:

"Isaac!" The man looks up from his busy sketching of a transmutation circle when he hears my voice. I stand at the entrance of an alleyway, black fog already beginning to leak out from my body and towards Isaac.

"Why are you not dead? Though I didn't impale you like I planned, you should at least be unconscious from blood loss." He questions, his scientific curiosity temporarily overcoming his madman desire to destroy Central.

"One word, idiot: Bandages." I clap my hands together and a pure white light pierces the black fog. Recently I learned that if you overwhelm a person by showing them a hallucination of their heart's desire, they're out of commission for a while. So that's exactly what I'm doing.

"Why...Central is covered in ice!" Isaac squeals in childish glee and I anime-fall in shock. Who knew someone so cold-blooded could act so innocent at the sight of an entire city frozen over?

"We can take it from here." I jar out of Isaac's fantasy and turn to see Riza and several military police. Nodding, I take a step back and they surround him, clamping a pair of alchemical resistant cuffs on his wrists.

"Sad, huh?" The newly patched-up Ed says, coming up.

"What?" I ask, confused.

"Maybe he could've actually done something important, but instead he goes nuts and tries to destroy a city, no, a country. That's what's sad." We start walking away and I smirk.

"When did you get so deep, Big Brother?" I ask. Al laughs and Ed scowls.

"What do you mean? I've always been this deep!"

"This coming from the guy that was the absolute worst to cloud-watch with because he'd say each cloud was shaped like a mutated cotton ball." I grin innocently at him as he crosses his arms with a pout.

"I remember that!" Al interjects after conversing with Ms. Hawkeye.

"You'd better. You two would get into yelling matches about it."

"You weren't exempt from those yourself." Ed is getting involved in the trip down Memory Lane now.

"Well, someone had to be mature."

"Is that what you call it?" I smack him upside the head with my metal arm, or at least try to. It refuses to move. He and I both stare at it as I curse mentally.

"Winry is going to kill me! I'm dead, I am so, so dead."

While the three of us are panicking as we imagine Winry and her deadly wrench, the sound of a scuffle grows louder followed by curses.

"He's escaped! Isaac's loose again!" The panicked expression on Ed's face melts to an angry one.

"Come on, you two!" He calls to Al and I. "We're going after him."

Unfortunately, it was only to find two MP's pulling a sheet over Isaac's body as the Fuhrer supervised.

"Ah, hello Fullmetal!" As Bradley engages Ed in conversation, I find myself sinking into thought. Something about the President Fuhrur disturbs me to no end.

"Ashley? Hellooooo?" Al waves his hand in front of my face as I snap to attention and grin tiredly at him.

"Ah, sorry, Big Brother. All this blood loss and jumping about has absolutely worn me out."

"You can stay the night at our hotel room. We leave for Liore in the morning." I shake my head before popping my back.

"'Fraid not. I'm hopping the midnight train to Resembool. If I am going to suffer near-death by wrench, might as well get it over with quickly." Ed, hearing this, smiles and Ruffles my hair.

"Well, then, until we meet again, little sister."

"I'm taller than you." I say simply before walking away, letting the night shadows envelop me as Ed goes on one of his short rants.

FMAFMAFMA

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, sorry sorry sorry!" I plead for mercy while dodging the wrench Winry aims for my skull.

"You broke it!" She yells from the second-floor balcony of her home, wagging a finger as if I'm a child caught in the cookie jar. "My precious auto mail, and you broke it fighting an Ice Alchemist! Sorry doesn't cut it!"

"Yeah, but you'll cut me!" I sob dramatically. Suddenly Granny Pinako emerges from downstairs and looks up at Winry.

"At least feed the poor girl before you kill her, Winry. Just look at her, she's skin and bones." She drags me inside, sets me down at the table, and places a bowl of stew in front of me. I grin and devour the whole thing just as Winry comes downstairs.

"I am sorry." I apologize again as Winry starts repairing my arm.

"Was it Ed's fault?" I shake my head and she sighs. I relax, thinking I'm home free. Boy, I'm wrong. "SO IT WAS YOUR OWN IDIOCY THAT GOT YOU INTO THIS MESS!?" I start, almost spilling my third bowl of stew all over Granny's tablecloth.

"When hasn't it been the idiocy of one of the Elrics?"

"I resent-. Never mind."

"This will take awhile to fix. Come back here." Nodding, I follow Winry into her workshop.


	6. Chapter 6

_Helloooo, everybody! Look what I have hidden up my metaphorical sleeve! A new chapter! Enjoy, read, review, all that wondrous stuff!_

Chapter Six:

"It's not fair." I sign with one hand, preparing for Winry to reconnect the nerve wiring of my arm.

"Life's not fair." She mutters around the screwdriver held in her mouth. "Now hold still. I don't need you causing me to screw anything else up." She reconnects it and I jolt, biting my tongue hard enough to draw blood. Flexing my fingers, I grin and mock-salute her with my newly-fixed hand.

"Thanks, Winry. Now let there be sound!" I clap my hands to get her and press one to my throat. Coughing, I grin at her and speak. "Ah, much better! That gets annoying after a while."

"I never understood that." She told me, moving to my leg for no other reason than to fawn over her own craftsmanship.

"I lost my vocal cords in the accident. I can temporarily repair them using alchemy, but not forever. I couldn't..." I sigh. "I repair them because I hate appearing weak." She laughs.

"Now that," she says, wagging a screwdriver at me, "I can relate to. Our society is extremely sexist. You wonder why you're the first female alchemist to pass the test? It's most likely because they're twenty times tougher than the one for the guys. Frankly, even if you'd shown your own brother up, you may not have passed."

"Well, that's dumb." I grouse, crossing my arms and hiding the pleased smirk as my automail arm responds to my commands once again. Winry sighs and gets to her feet, bustling about and just generally tidying up.

"If you want to change the world," she says, pausing at the doorway on her way out, "be the change you wish to see." And with those sage words of wisdom, she's gone, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I glance down at my prosthetic hand and clench it into a fist.

"I'll do just that. Believe it." I promise myself.

FMAFMAFMA

The next week sees me out of Resembool and back in Central, unfortunately wearing the military uniform...Skirt included. I march into Headquarters and walk through the halls when suddenly someone whistles at me. I stop and turn slowly to face two men watching me.

"Who was that?" I ask, my eyes glinting coldly.

"Just me, short stuff." One of the men says. "You know, you should just be a good girl and take the compliment." The other man looks faintly alarmed when he sees my face and tugs on his buddy's sleeve.

"Dude, that's the Nightmare Alchemist, Fullmetal's sister."

"And? It's not like she actually knows alchemy. They just let her pass because she's a girl." By now, I see a crowd gathering, Mustang looking displeased and Hawkeye cleaning and loading her gun. I slip off the military jacket and fold it neatly before setting it on the ground.

"Usually," I sigh as I pop my back, "I would pump you so full of hallucinogenic gas that you were a couple of blithering idiots, but I need to make an example of you two. How troublesome." I use my hands to turn the backing of my arm into a sword like Ed did when we used to spar.

The two men gulp and one of them surreptitiously reaches for his pistol. I grin and leap at him, swinging my sword and shaving off the very tip of his hair.

"Now, boys!" I scold, landing lithely on my feet and grinning. "Really, I'm not using alchemy, so I don't see why you should be allowed to use your guns."

"But it's not fair!" The gun-user whines and I sigh.

"You sound like a spoiled," I draw my sword back, "Little," I thrust it forward, "Brat!" I impale his gun and yank it from his hand where it then clatters to the ground in several pieces. "Boo!" I grin and the two men hustled off, looking vaguely terrified and mostly insulted to be thrashed by a girl who barely reached their shoulders. I turn back to the rest of the crowd, namely the men. "Anyone else want to be a rude, sexist man?" I ask, pleased when they shake their heads and mutter no. On my way out, I grin at Hawkeye and am surprised when she smiles slightly back with an approving nod.

FMAFMAFMA

"They did WHAT?!" Ed leaps to his feet and looks ready to punch something. "Where are they?! I'll slice 'em apart!"

"Ed, dude. Chill." I wave a hand at him and take a sip of my soda. "Already took care of the creeps."

"I'm almost afraid to ask what you did." Al hides his face in a gloved hand.

"Impaled and destroyed their guns and gave one of them a haircut. No big deal."

"You're lucky you didn't get in trouble."

"Hawkeye approved. She even smiled at me." Just as my two brothers, looking shocked, are about to say something, a man in the military uniform runs up and holds an envelope out to me.

"Your first mission, Miss Elric." I grin and take the sleeve from him.

"Thank you." Standing, I open the sleeve and pull out the packet of papers inside before thumbing through them. "Looks like my orders are to leave immediately."

"I guess we'll see you when you get back." Ed sighs and I kiss him and Al on top of the head.

"Most definitely, big brother. See you soon."

 _Dun dun dunnnn~~_


	7. Chapter 7

_Helloooooo, everybody! I bring you...Chapter 7! Please read, review and, dare I think it, favorite!_

* * *

 _Chapter 7:_

The train rattles over the tracks as it heads north towards Briggs. After leaving my brothers, I grabbed my stuff and hopped on the train, as per instructions. What's really weird is they didn't give me any other instructions.

I pull the packet back out and flip through it to double-check. Yep. "Board the train. Ride it to the end of the rail." Short and to the point. Reminds me of Ed.

"Attention, everybody!" The conductor calls suddenly. "I have some unfortunate news!" He pulls out a gun. "I've decided to give my paycheck a little boost." The passengers around me scream and duck down but I step out into the passageway.

"Why are you doing this?" I question after pressing a hand to my throat.

"They said if I did this, they'd pay me more than I'd ever see in my whole life."

"I'll ask again." My hallucinogenic gas sweeps around my feet as I take a step closer to the conductor. "Why are you doing this?" His face goes oddly blank and he points the gun at my stomach.

"Take her out and you'll have everything you could ever think to ask for. Yup, that's what the lady said." I make my chemical gas rush forward and cover him, but not before he gets a shot off. Crouching to dodge the bullet, I don't dodge fast enough. Instead, it burrows into my chest and sends me skidding across the car and thumping against the wall on the other side. Coughing wetly, I grin satisfactorily at the body of the crazed conductor. Then I look down at the wound on my chest and weakly clap my hands together. But I remember I have to get the bullet out. Crap, that's going to hurt.

Gritting my teeth, I press a few fingers into the wound and slowly tug the bulet out before getting dizzy from blood loss. I may be able to stop any more blood from leaking out, but I won't be able to replace what I already lost.

I manage to pull the bullet out and stifle a shriek of pain. Panting, I hold the bullet up to inspect. I don't know why, but it's most likely because my blood loss has made me slightly dazed.

The inhabitants in the car with me fled as soon as the conductor fired the gun, so I won't be getting any help from other people.

"Great. The one time I don't go on a mission with my brothers...Next time, I'm alchemizing full body armor." I tell myself and clap my hands together to form an inner transmutation circle and close the wound on my chest. Once it's closed enough to stop bleeding, I grip the seat of a nearby bench and haul myself up before nearly toppling over again.

"Wow! Look at this mess. Amestrians, eh Lan Fan?" A cocky male voice comes from outside the train, which halted when the conductor pulled out his gun.

"Yes, sire." The second voice, distinctly humble and feminine, responds. There's a whoosh of air as the second speaker comes inside the train car and crouches over me. "This one is still alive, sire. She killed the male one over there."

"A little girl capable of killing a grown man? She may be of use to us, sire." The third speaker is a male, older than the cocky, young one.

"I agree, Fu." The first voice muses. "Very well. Lan Fan, collect her!" There's a rocking motion as the woman, probably Lan Fan, picks me up.

"Now what, sire?" she questions and I have to struggle to not pass out. Or fall asleep.

"Now we take her back to the hovel we're staying in and heal her." He tells her as if that's the most obvious thing in the world. And with that, I pass out from blood loss.

* * *

The next time I wake up, I feel considerably better. I open my eyes and sit up. Unfortunately, I didn't check to see if anyone was hovering over me. Honestly, with my luck, I'm not really surprised. I mean, I got shot. Not fun!

Anyway, I head-butt a guy with black hair and eyes, who's wearing an open yellow jacket that shows off his chest and stomach. My head wasn't hurt but he takes a step back and rubs his forehead.

"Now I understand why you were able to take that guy down. You probably head-butted him to death." He chuckles and flicks my forehead with a finger. "You've got a hard skull, kid."

"At least mine isn't full of air." I hiss and rub the spot where he flicked me. He looks wounded and I grin at him innocently. "Sorry, sire. Can't control what comes out of this mouth of mine sometimes,"

"You'll learn to." He stands and pulls me to my feet as well before leading me outside. We're in the middle of an open field. In my peripheral vision, I can see the owners of the old male voice and the female voice dueling with katanas.

"You never told me your name!" I complain as he leads me into the middle of the field.

"That's a privilege you have to earn and not sass your way into receiving. Now, ten push-ups!"

"What?! Why?"

"For head-butting me! Now do them!"

Grumbling and cursing under my breath, I crouch on the ground and do as he demands, even though I become winded after the seventh one. When I get to my feet, he nods and turns before walking away.

"Now jog to the forest and back!" Before I can start complaining, he stops and looks back at me over his shoulder. "And my name is Ling Yao, future king of Xing."


	8. Chapter 8

_Holy crud, I'm starting the next chapter so soon! You guys, I'm surprising myself here. Please read and review._

* * *

Chapter 8:

"How worried will they be to discover you're missing?" Lan Fan asks me one morning after our usual sword duel. It's been several months since they "rescued" me and began training me. Since then, I've grown taller, tanner and stronger. I also know how to use Xingese alchemy and the Dragon's Pulse, which is the Xingese way of detecting natural energy.

"Who, my brothers?" I take a sip out of my water jug and jog to catch up with Ling, who's leading the way into town. "They're probably too busy having their own weird yet awesome adventures."

"And your country's military?"

"Most likely think I'm dead and have disavowed all knowledge of me. I'm free to do as I please as long as it doesn't draw attention to me."

"Does that include help us look for the Philosopher's Stone?" Ling clasps his hands under his chin and does puppy-dog eyes. Sighing, I scratch the back of my head in thought.

"If we find it before my brothers do, we get to use it to restore my family to their true bodies." Ling grins and smacks me on the back of the head.

"It's a deal!"

"THAT'S NOT HOW YOU SEAL A DEAL! IF YOU EVER BECOME THE KING OF YOUR COUNTRY, I FEAR FOR IT!" I yell at him.

"I know it's not how you seal a deal, but it was fun." He laces his hands behind his head with a chuckle. I turn and go to walk next to Fu.

"Old man, can I whack him?"

"Best not." He says after a moment of fake hesitation. "Even though sometimes I'd love to as well, Lan Fan would probably murder us in our sleep." I glance at Lan Fan, who is following Ling and nodding along to everything he says.

"Yeah." I sigh. "It's a shame, but I probably shouldn't risk it. I'm already missing some body parts, after all." Fu chuckles and we continue on.

* * *

"Remind me again why we haven't eaten since we left the hovel?" I clutch my gurgling stomach and crouch on the roof next to Lan Fan.

"Ling is attempting to get some passers-by to feed him and he will subsequently try to get information on the Philosopher's Stone."

"And why does that mean we can't eat?"

"He wants his acting to be sincere and we must suffer with our prince."

"He's not my prince." I mutter rebelliously, clutching my growing stomach.

"You can't deny he's worse than your King Bradley."

"...You're not wrong." Fu appears next to me suddenly, almost sending me off the roof.

"Stop blabbering, you two. Our prince has found a couple of unsuspecting alchemists with metallic limbs." That sounds eerily familiar. I ponder on it with my eyes closed for a moment before they snap open and I smack my head against my flesh palm.

"Please tell me one isn't wearing armor and the other doesn't have a braid in his hair." Fu looks vaguely disturbed.

"Does this somehow relate to your Amestrian alchemy, because I assume Prince Ling didn't want telepathy to be included with the Philosopher's Stone..." Shaking my head, I sigh and crouch down, examining the pedestrians passing by below us.

"Your prince has managed to get a free meal out of my brothers."

* * *

"Yep. I was right. Dang it, can that not happen for once in my life?" I land next to Fu as he lands behind Al and hosts him to his feet.

"What are you doing?!" Ed yells at Ling as Lan Fan clamps a hand on his flesh shoulder.

"They're information hunting." I lean on his metal shoulder and grin. "Hi, Big Brother. Miss me?"

"...WHERE ON EARTH HAVE YOU BEEN?! DO YOU KNOW HOW WORRIED AL AND I WERE WHEN WE CAME HOME FROM BRIGGS TO HEAR YOU WERE MISSING AFTER BEING SHOT IN A HOSTILE TRAIN TAKEOVER?! I OUGHT TO STICK YOU INSIDE AL AND NEVER LET YOU OUT AGAIN! AND IT DOESN'T HELP MATTERS THAT YOU'RE STILL TALLER THAN ME!" He rants and raves. I have a feeling the only reason he isn't tackling and subsequently beating me is the iron grip Lan Fan has on his shoulder. I should know. She's used that same grip on me several times over the months.

"They saved my life. I would've died from blood loss if not for them. So try and be a little thankful." Ling chooses that moment to open his too-big mouth and interrupt.

"Eh, probably not. You would've just been super weak." I growl and break the table.

"WILL YOU BE QUIET? I'M TRYING TO GET US OUT OF TROUBLE BUT YOU'RE JUST GOING AT IT WITH A SHOVEL! I OUGHT TO WHACK YOU IF I WASN'T WORRIED ABOUT LAN FAN KILLING ME IN MY SLEEP!" I sigh and scrub my head. "I give up." I turn and walk away but Ed gets in my face. I glower at him. "What?"

"We were worried."

"Don't be. I was worried for you guys too. Some mornings zi would wake up, forget where I was for a second, then my mind would tell me you died and it was some years in the future. Then I'd really wake up and I'd have to scold myself for being an idiot and ruining my own morning. So really, I'm glad you're okay." I hug hima nd he hesitates before hugging me back.

"Just...Let me know before you go running off and doing stupid stuff so I have at least a chance at stopping you."

"You knew I had the mission." I chuckle and Al comes over. Releasing Ed, I turn and throw my arms around Al's neck. "Good to see you too, Al."

"I'm glad you're okay." I chuckle to myself when he sounds almost teary.

"Please! It'd take a bomb to stop me! I mean, let's face the facts. Even a bullet couldn't do the job." Ed winces.

"Please don't remind me of that. It makes me want to have a heart attack." Shrugging, I grin and rest my head on top of his.

"No problem, short stuff." He starts ranting and I wink at Ling, who's staring at us confusedly. He just rolls his eyes and turns to talk to Lan Fan while Old Man and Al start talking as well. Then I remember something and clamp a hand over Ed's mouth as the blood drains out of my face.

"I forgot to report my mission to Colonel Mustang. I'm screwed."


End file.
